Volt vs. Leaf

[dmuramoto]

This year, GM wanted more journalists to try their Chevy Volt gas/electric vehicle, so I spent a few days with a white model. For a car priced almost $8K more than a comparably equipped Nissan Leaf, there were some striking differences:

-While range is extended using the Volt's gas engine, in pure electric mode the Volt only had about 38 miles vs. the Leaf's 100 miles. Smaller battery or different design? I don't know.

-Going up Colorado hills is hard on that range. Climbing a short stretch of paved highway dropped the battery to zip within 15 miles, so even 38 miles is an estimate. I expect the Leaf will be similar...

-The Volt has nice computer generated graphics on the dash and center monitor. All are biased towards economy based driving, with crisp blue/green coloring.

-Interior quality was OK, but still uses hard plastics in most areas. Design is different from most GM products, with touches like a touch sensitive bright white center stack.

-Both the Volt and Leaf handle well, with their battery stacks located low in in the center of both cars. The eco-tires don't have much grip, but what they have is maximized by a low CG and polar moment.